Today is Armenian linguist Manuk Abeghyan's birthday

Today is the Armenian literary critic, linguist, academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR Manuk Abeghyan’s birthday. Manuk Abeghyan was born on March 17 1865 in the village of Astapat in the the Erivan province Nakhichevan district.

He was Doctor of Philosophical (1898) and Philology (1935) sciences, Professor (1926). Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (1943). Honored Worker of Science (1935).

He studied at the Gevorgyan Ecclesiastical Seminary in Echmiadzin (1876-1875), as well as at the universities of Jena, Leipzig, Berlin and Paris (1893-1898). Abeghyan was one of the first lecturers of Yerevan University in 1923-1925. He was dean of the Historiography faculty, also, the head of the department.

Abeghyan’s name is associated with the development of a new stage in the classical Armenology. Abeghyan is the founder of the new Armenian folklore. In 1886 he recorded a new Moks version of the heroic epos "Sasna Tsrer" ("David and Mher", 1889) and conducted the first specialized research ("National Epos Novel", 1889-1890). Later on, based on the new records of the novel, he created a classic vision of the epos ("Armenian Folk Romance", 1908).

Abeghyan restored ancient Armenian mythology and an integral system of popular beliefs and laid the foundation for a new scientific theory of Armenian mythology ("Armenian popular beliefs", "Armenian folk myths in the “History of Armenia" by Movses Khorenatsi”, 1899).

Based on the above-mentioned works, Abeghyan wrote a fundamental study - "Armenian epic folklore". Abeghyan developed the scientific theory of Armenian ancient and new lyrical folklore, founded the scientific textology of Armenian folklore. Together with A.Ghanalayan and G. Abov composed the scientific consolidated text of the epos "David Sasunsky" and medieval hayrens - "Gusan folk songs".

Abeghyan also touched upon the formation of new Armenian literature, the development of Armenian literary and artistic thought and writing, as well as history ("The History of Old Armenian Literature" (1944-1946, V. 1-2.) Since 1910, Abeghyan studied the Armenian poetic versification.

Abeghyan’s contribution to the development of the Armenian language, in particular to the scientific study of the Eastern Armenian language ("Syntax of ashkharabar", 1912, "The Theory of the Armenian Language", 1931) is great. Abeghyan is the founder of the new spelling of the Armenian language. He was engaged in the publishing of significant written monuments.

Manuk Abeghyan died on September 25 1944. The Institute of Literature of NAS RA and School No. 3 in Yerevan were named after Abegyan.